Adjustable bed-spring for beds, davenports, couches, and the like.



J. R. STARK. ADJUSTABLE BED SPRING FOR BEDS, DAVENPORTS, COUCH E S, AND

THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6. IBIS.

Patented 100$. 23, 191?.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I B. R. STARK. ADJUSTABLE BED SPRiNG FOR BEDS, DAVEH'PORT S, COUCHES, AND THE HKE.

' APPLICATION FILED JULY 6. I985. ma sm Patmwfi m 23, um

s MEETS-WEE? 2.

J.R. STARK. v ADJUSTABLE BED SPRING FOR BEDS, DAVENPORTS, COUCHES, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6.1915. 1, 24 9 I 4 Patented 00m 23, 191?.

4 SH EETSSHEET 3.

v Iv).

I a. R. STARK. ADJUSTABLE BED'SPRING FOR BEDS, DAVE'NPORTS, COUCHES, AND THE LIKE.-

APPUCATIOH men JULY -s. m5. I I 1 l fiwe Patented 001;.23J917.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4 rrn earns JOHN R. STARK, or NASHVILLE, remiss PATENT OETTQ.

sen; AssIGnoR, BY manor Ann MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE OWENS-STARK MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A COR- POBATION OF TENNESSEE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN R. STARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Bed-Springs forBeds, Davenports, Couches, and the like, of which the following is a specification; I

The invention has relation to bed bottoms and has for its object the provision of a bed bottom which may bereadily adjusted to admit of the occupant assuming a recumbent position or a sitting posture so that in the event of a convalesc'ing patient it is not necessary to make a shift from the bedto a chair in the event of it being required to admit of the patient assuming a sitting po sition; j I

The invention provides an adjustable bottom of the character hereinbefore mentioned which may be adapted to beds, couches, davenports or the like and which maybe quickly shifted and secured in the adjusted'po'sition to admit of the patient lying prone or sitting inany desired position to secure ease. and comfort;

l/Vith these and other objects in" View, which will readily appear as'the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly claimed.- 1 In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a'siinple and preferredform of the invention, it being,'however, understood that no limitation is necessarily-made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes,- alterations and modificationswithin the scope of the invention as claimed'may be resorted to when desired.

Referring to the drawings,-

Figure 1 is a pe'rs'pec't've view of a couch or like article of furniture provided with an adjustable bottorn' embodying the invention, such bottom being shown adjusted to a reclining position;

Fig; 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, the bottom beingadjusted tooccupy a horizontal position; 7 e

Specification of Letters iatent.

Patented Oct. 23, 191?.

Application filed July 6, 1915. serial no. 38,125.

Fig; 4t is a perspective view showing the invention adapted to a chair;

Fig; 5' is a transverse section on the line of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the invention applied to a bed;

Fig. 7 is a transverse section on the line 7-7 of Fig; 6 looking in the direction of the arrows, portions'of the bed frame and bottom being broken away. I

Correspondingand like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views ofthe drawings by the same reference characters.

Within the purview of the invention the character of the supporting'frame for the adjustablebed bottom is unimportant since itis contemplated to apply the invention to various articles of furniture, hence the nature of the supporting frame is dependent largely upcnthe adaptationof the invention; V v I The bed bottom comprises essentially three sections designated by the numerals 1, Zan'd 3E The end sections'l and 3 are pivoted with reference to the middle section Qand are adaptedto extend in opposite directions'; when'the bed bottom is adjusted from a horizontal position.- Thebed bottom may be of any construction andcoinprises a substantial fr'aine'and a filling, the latter being of any nature according to the finish and cost of the article. The longitudinal members of the frame are pivotally or hingedly connected so as to provide the several adjustable sections 1, 2' and 3. When the person is" desirous of lying prone the several sections comprising the bed bottom are adjusted to lie in substantially the same horizontal plane, as indicated in Fig. 3. When the person is desirous of occupying a sitting position the sections are adjusted substantially as indicated in Figs. 1,2, l and 6, it being understood that the inclination of thesecti'ons may be adjusted to the with the side bars of the sections 2 and 3 and are pivoted to each other. The outer ends of the side bars 5 are pivoted to the outer ends of the side bars of the section 3, thereby admitting of the bars 4 and 5 moving with the side bars of the sections 2 and 3 and bracing the same. The side bars 5 also form supporting means for a foot rest 6 which is slidable on the side bars 5 so as to be projected into operative position or moved inward so as to be out of the way when not required for use. Hooks 7 at tached to the inner or rear ends of the side bars of the foot rest have sliding engagement with the side bars 5. Other hooks8 attached to the side bars 5 have sliding engagement with the'side bars of the foot rest. The hooks 7 and8 slidinglysupport the foot rest and direct the same in its movements. The side bars 4 are connected to the side bars of the section 1 so as to move therewith.

To hold the several sections of the bed bottom in the required adjusted position it is necessary to provide securing means and, as shown, the same comprise curved bars 9 formed with a plurality of openings 10 in transverse alinement. A latch 11 is adapted to cooperate with the curved bars 9 to hold the same in the adjusted position. The latch 11 is mounted in a relatively stationary part and is provided at opposite ends with portionsadaptedto pass through the openings 10 of the bars 9. The latch 11 consists preferably of, a rod'having its opposite end portions offset to provide engaging terminals to pass through the openings 10 of the bars 9. The latch is movable longitudinally and is normally acted upon by means of aspring 12 which holds the engaging terminals of the latch in the openings 10 of the bars 9. The bars 9 are attached to the end section 1 and move therewith. WVhen it is required to, adjust the bottom to or from a horizontal position the latch is moved so as to clear the bars 9 after which the bottom maybe adjusted to the required position and is held in such position by reengagement of the offset latch terminals with the bars 9 in the manner hereinbefore stated. The bottom is supported essentially on two lines, which correspondapproximately with opposite edge portions of; the middle section. One of these. lines of support is designated by the numeral 13 and the other by the numeral 14. The section 1 turnson the line 13 and is pivotally connected to a supporting frame. The sections2 and 3 turn on the line 14: and such line is movable toward andaway from the line 13 to admit of the several sections alining horizontally or assuming a position to admit of the person occupying a sitting position more or less upright. .Inorder that the middle section 2 may incline to the horizontal when the bottom is adjusted into a sitting position, such middle section is pivoted to the inner or lower end of the head section 1.

When the head section is moved to elevate the upper portion the lower portion is correspondingly depressed, thereby lowering the end "of the middle section 2, which is pivotally connected therewith. As the head section 1 is elevated the lower, or foot, section 3 is correspondingly lowered by the action of the side bars 4: and 5. A rod 15 pivotally connects the sections 2 and 3 and its end portions are offset and pass through the overlapping ends of the side bars of the sections2 and 3, as indicated at 14. These offset ends are extended and receive rollers which travel in ways formed between upper and lower parallel bars designated by the numerals 16 and 17. Other bars 18 are located some distance below the parallel bars 16 and 17 and are connected by vertically disposed end bars 19 and 20. These several bars 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 constitute side frames which support the bottom and the parts associated therewith.

V In the arrangement illustrated in Figs.

upper ends of the bars 19 and 20 are formed into hooks, as illustrated at 22 and engage the siderails 21. The bedstead may be of any design and when provided with a bed bottom embodying the invention is-adapted to. support a sick person in a recumbent position or in a sitting posture, the inclination being adjustable to best suit the requirements of the patient. I

In the adaptation ofthe invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a frame 23 is pro.- vided andreceives the side framesof the bed bottom, such side frames being attached in any manner to the side barsof the frame 28. The legs 24 are adapted to fold and are held extended by means of braces 25. The lower bars 18 of the side frames have extensions 26 which are oppositely inclined and form with the bars 18, truss braces.

In the adaptation illustrated in Fig. 1 the taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings that the invention :may be readily adapted to any article of furniture so as to adapt the same for supporting a person either in a reclining or in a sitting position, thereby rendering it unnecessary to remove a patient from a bed, pallet or couch to a chair when it is required to brace such patient in a sitting position. The change from one position to another may be quickly and easily effected and without causing any discomfort or inconvenience to the patient or without requiring the change or adjusting of bed covering or apparel. It will of course be understood that the device may be used for Pullman car beds, chairs for chair cars, Morris chairs or wherever the invention is found desirable or applicable.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A device of the class described including pivoted head, seat and foot sections, the side portions of the head section being eX- t-ended beyond the lower end of the said section, bars pivot-ally connected to the said extended side portions of the head section and to the lower side of the foot section, a foot rest provided at its ends with rearwardly extending arms, and clips carried by the said bars and arms and respectively engaging the arms and bars.

2. In a bed bottom structure, a main supfive cents each,

porting frame, a bed bottom section pivotally mounted adjacent frame, arcuate arms extending from the side portions of the said section and provided each with a series of openings concentric to the pivot for the said section, a rod slidably mounted transversely within the main frame and having one end bent upwardly and thence laterally to provide a pawl engageable in the openings in one of said arms, the opposite end of the rod being eX- tended beyond the corresponding side of the main frame and being provided with a finger piece and beyond the finger piece with a terminal portion extending inwardly above the main portion of the rod to provide a pawl engageable in the openings in the other arm, and a spring upon the said rod normally holding the same shifted to position with its said pawls simultaneously engaging the openings in the said arms.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JoHN R. STARK. a 8.

l/Vitnesses:

W. R. PARKEs, Ms. D. OWENS.

by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, D. C."

one end within the 

